I don't if being a woman counts as "one of the guys" :-D :-D but I usually wear gloves - I get a large local reaction to stings and don't wish to invite them. But when I need to do something fine motor like take pictures or insert a queen cage (which I did for the first time the other day), I wear thin latex gloves like dental assistants wear.

Linda T in Atlanta

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http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You never can tell with bees" - Winnie the Pooh

Personally, if the bees are "gentle" I use latex hospital gloves. When I know I am going to piss them off, I wear my gloves, and have my DH there to pull the frames with the frame holder while I look...

I really do like barehanded, but they are bees, and they do sting... :-D

I admit in my beginnings I wore gloves, pull over jacket and veil. Now we all know how hot that is in Florida and how long you would have to endure the heat while inspecting. I don't wear the gloves or the pull over suit now but I do wear a veil from time to time. If you want to wear gloves while inspecting frames, especialy the first frame to be pulled out of the box you might try a set of frame grips.

i do because when i get stung i swell up so much. if it weren't for that, i'd probably not.

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.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called “the government.” They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

I wear my leather gloves from Mann Lake. I really just have trouble getting out the first frame from the super. So I just purchased a frame grip from Brush Mt Catalog. This works really well and no squished bees. After that I am just careful that there aren't any bees under my gloves when moving around the super.

JP uses some sort of gloves from Home Depot. They are blue in color. I cannot find them at my home depot.

If I'm dealing with mean bees, I wear them. My bees, underware, usually a veil, no gloves. It is important to protect the face and eyes, and this is where they usually like to sting you the most.

If you are careful in your movements and work your fingers, moving them in right next to the bees, without pinching them, they generally do not mind the intrusion. And bare handed you get of course the most dexterity.

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called “the government.” They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

Gloves are tricky, if they really fit well, they are great - too large or small, you will not be able to handle frames, which alone can aggrivate the bees - causeing more problems then someone confident with no glaves on.

If you have weaker hands (I have some nurve damage I deal with) and find frame grabbers very handy, again a good pair that fits your hand without causing hand strain is ideal.

This issue (according to my pet peeve is SMOKER USE - I stand by my smoking methods and prep work:

1) during the last inspection, you should clean off (scrape) any excess wax from areas that contact frames to resting boards, etc. MAking the ease of pulling it lose much easier.

2) I smoke the entrance with 4 or 5 good puffs, wait 5 or so minutes and hit them again with 5 strong puffs. Then in 5 more minutes, I leave the lit smoker near the hive entrace and go to work in the hive, the girls are very relaxed at the point and ready for your interaction. Having parts that don't stick together, keeping burr-comb to a minimum, etc. will make every inspection easier and more comfortable to you and the bees.

I've ised nitrile gloves, they don't stretch like latex, not a hair - so right sizing them is so important. They also don't breathe, so you will get lots of sweat out of them, not the best thing around the hives, but if you can double up the gloves (hard if one pair fits good, that means two probably will not) but 2 pair would do a great job of sting proofing them.

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With or without, you occasionally get stung. If you're not aware of the bees under your gloves, you'll get stung more with gloves. If you are aware, you'll get stung less with gloves. Also remember to smoke the gloves now and then to cover any alarm odor.

No gloves. Period. The only time that I will wear gloves is like when I am catching a swarm, not like that happens very often. But when I push the bees into the swarm catching box, I like to have my hands with my heavy leather gloves on.

I like to be able to feel when I am close to a bee. That is what it is like when gloveless. If I ever get stung, I immediately smoke the stung area, that masks the sting pheromone, but I rarely get a sting, I thank my lucky stars when I do though, I know that will help to keep my fingers from arthritis stuff, hee, hee. I am fortunate in that I don't swell even one little bit, maybe just a little bit of that burning sensation and then a little itching. I am heading off today to do masses of work in the apiary. Got my 10 Carniolan queens yesterday from Strachan Apiaries, making nucs and requeening -- so a big day at my house. Probably gonna be with the bees, all day long, oh those lucky gals!!! Beautiful and most wonderful day, Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

No gloves - under normal conditions. By that, I mean, almost all the time I go gloveless (barehanded), it is so much quicker and easier to feel what I am doing. I read about what other beekeepers are doing, so I try things out, just to see what others are talking about. Whenever I've tried gloves, they've been more trouble than help. I find it important to feel the bees beneath my fingers in order to avoid squashing most of them. With gloves, even thin latex ones, I discover that by the time I feel the bees beneath my fingers it is usually too late for the poor bee. And I appreciate a little unscheduled apitherapy - helps keep the arthritis in check.

One recent change to my usual beekeeping garb has been to change from short-sleeved T-shirts to long-sleeved white ones. Now I've stopped getting stung in the arm pits - that's a relief.

Used to wear gloves all the time and got tired of pulling them off when I needed dexterity. I do have them on hand though (no pun intended), just in case, as I do my smoker which is always lit and available. Still wear veil and pullover jacket. Will not do it otherwise. I get too cocky when I have no armour on and then I make a huge mistake, hack them off, they start in on me, so I put hive back together, and hobble as fast as my walker will take me (I can beat a snail but not a slug), or my wheelchair will roll me to the house.

I have noticed I am much more gentle without gloves.

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Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try." So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin. If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it. (unknown)

I am a newbie so I find wearing gloves helps me from reacting to the bees who land on my hands and forearms - I am not yet used to the sensation and kind of have an automatic reaction to it which I think causes a bigger chance of stings than wearing gloves does.

That said, if I did not have a pair that allowed me total dexterity I wouldn't wear them.

I use a gardening glove called Foxgloves - they are super fitting and washable. Stretchy enough to go over sleeves but fit well enough that you still feel what you are working with. I don' think they provide complete sting protection (certainly not like a Mann Lake or leather glove would) but they do provide some protection. You can get them smooth palmed or with grips - which are great - and you can get them in regular or elbow length. They come in lots of great colors but, unfortunately, not white.

I bought mine at least 7-8 years ago and use them heavily (mostly for gardening) and they are still going strong. The ones with grips tend to wear out faster than the ones without - don't know why but the index finger always gets a hole at the tip so I've been through two of those but am still on my first pair of smooths.

And, now that I'm done with my advert - no, I don't work for them!

Apparently I can't put in a link because of the spam o meter but if you type in the usual web address beginning plus foxglovesinc with a dot com after it you should be able to get their website.